“A warm body.” With a teasing grin, she tugs me away from the bar. “Dance with me, Gideon Noble.”
I go with her, because if this is our second chance, I’m not going to waste it.
Chapter 3
Valencia
I can’t explain what possessed me to askGideon Nobleto dance with me. Or rather,forcedhim, since I didn’t leave him much choice. He was clearly mortified once he recognized me, and it’s possible I used that to my advantage. Still, he could’ve pulled his arm out of my grip or dug in his heels if he didn’t want to come. The man is a foot taller than I am.
He’s also . . .
No. The asshole doesn’t deserve compliments.
But he really is . . .
Ugh. Fine. He’s gorgeous.Objectively.His wavy hair is shorter than when we were kids, each strand perfectly styled in a classic side part. It’s hard to tell in this lighting, but itlooks darker now, more of a light brown than a dark blond. His narrow face has filled out, and his jawline better supports the wide lower lip that used to look bratty and now looks ...
Bitable.
Yikes.
In the strobe lights, his eyes flash red, green, and red again. Mine are probably doing the same. I wonder if he notices.
I want him to notice.
Despite his denial, Iknowhe came over to hit on me, and it makes me feel powerful. Electric.Alive.
He allows me to tow him onto the dance floor without complaint. And when I slide my hand down his forearm to his wrist and pull him toward me, he complies.
The heavy bass pounds through me like a second heartbeat. Between the driving vocals and the living pulse of the crowd surrounding us, I’m swept into the dance. I sway my hips and shimmy my shoulders. Noble’s grip on my hand is tight as he spins me. His other hand splays against the bare skin of my lower back, firm and warm, as he takes over.
Noble is agood dancer. That’s as much a shock to my system as his touch. He doesn’t just nod his head to the downbeat, and he’s not jumping around like a fool, either. He’ssmooth. He has actual rhythm. You’d think I would know that, but I can’t recall ever seeing him like this at school dances.
And yes, damn it, I was looking. He onlyactedlike a troll.
Plus, hesmellsgood. Subtle but expensive. Woodsy, with notes of citrus and bergamot.
Why, why,whydoes he have to be so fucking sexy?
This started as a lark. A simple way to get back at him for years of torment. To make him uncomfortable and snag myself a convenient dance partner in the process. But there’s something really hot about knowing that he’s into me. Maybe it’s perverse, but I want to drive him fucking wild.
Workaholic, homebody, nerd—all that might be true about me. But I can also dance my ass off, and Gideon Noble doesn’t stand a chance.
I’m barely looking at him, keeping my eyes closed or my head turned away. But I’m hyperaware of every touch of hands, every brush of fabric, every graze of limbs. I pull out the heavy artillery—body rolls, hip swivels, spine arches. The quick glimpses I get of his face reveal hooded eyes and parted lips.
Mission accomplished. I’m seducing my former nemesis, and best of all, I don’t actually give a shit what he thinks, which is freeing in a way I never could’ve imagined. Embracing it, I give myself over to the music, the melody, the movement, and justdance.
As this song melds into the next, Noble’s hands grasp my hips, pulling me closer. My back is to him, with barely a breath between us as I raise my arms and gyrate to the music. The heatof his body radiates against mine, as erotic and intimate as his fingertips digging into the sensitive spot under my hip bone.
We don’t say a word. But whenever our eyes meet, something hot and crackling passes between us.
I’m melting. This wasn’t supposed to happen, but I don’t want to break the spell.
A guy wearing a trucker hat and ratty cargo pants approaches me. He’s drunk, the sloppy leer all but sliding off his generically good-looking face. Noble shoots him a dark glare and growls, “Fuck off.”
The guy fucks off. I laugh and keep dancing.
The song changes and Noble spins me to face him. His gaze is locked on mine as he drags his teeth over that sumptuous bottom lip.
